Signal system for single-phase motors



April w. c. ISPEAR 4 2,278,573

SIGNAL SYSTEM FOR SINGLE-PHASE MOTORS Filed April 15, 1940 WITNESSES: I INVENTOR Wendell. 6. Speak ATTOYRNEY' which it occupies at higher motor-speeds.

Patented Apr. 7, 1942 MOTORS SIGNAL SYSTEM FOR SINGLE-PHASE Wendell C. Spear, Wapakoneta, Ohio, assignor to Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application April 13, 1940, Serial No. 329,450

1 Claim.

provide an alarm-signal in case of failure ofeither the motor or the power.

An exemplaryiorm of embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, the single figure of which is a diagrammatic view of circuits and apparatus embodying the invention.

As shown in the drawing, my invention is applied to a self-starting single-phase induction motor having a primary or stator member carrying a main or running winding I and an auxiliary or starting winding 2. The motor is also provided with a squirrel-cage rotor-member 3, or the equivalent, which is mounted on the motorshaft 4. The motor is also'provided with a centrifugal speed-responsive device 5 which is mounted on the motor-shaft l and which is adapted to actuate a movable switch-arm 6 from a starting position which it occupies at low motor-speeds, as illustrated, to a running position The switch-arm 6 is illustrated as one which is pivoted at I, and which makes contact with-two back-contacts 8 and 9 in the starting position. and which makes contact with a front-contact I I in the running position.

nalling device, a battery 2I or equivalent source of auxiliary power, and a switch 22 for disconnectingthe alarm-circuit. The switch 22 can be either manually operated, or interlocked with Power is supplied to the motor through a single 2 6, the back-contact 9, the auxiliary winding 2,

and a capacitor II, to the other supply-line conductor I3. The particular motor which is illustrated is a capacitor-motor in which a capacitor I1 is serially connected to the starting winding 2, but it should be understood that my invention is equally applicable to a motor of a type in which a capacitor is not associated with the starting winding.

In accordance with my invention an auxiliary or additional back-contact 8 is provided on the starting-switch 6, and is connected to a terminal of an alarm-circuit which is illustrated as comprising a bell 20, or equivalent alarm or sigthe control-switch I4 so that both switches may be opened and closed at the same time, if desired. The alarm-circuit is completed by having its other terminal connected to either one of the other two back-contact terminals I and 9 of the starting-switch 6.

In accordance with my invention, I alternatively or additionally utilize the front-contact II, associated with the starting-switch 6, to energize a signal-lamp circuit including a signallamp 23 which is energized in a circuit which may be traced from the supply-line conductor I2 to the switch-pivot I, the switch-arm 6, the front-contact II and the lamp 23, to the other supply-line conductor I3.

In operation, when the control-switch I4 is first closed, the motor starts by having both its main or running winding I and its auxiliary or starting winding 2 energized, in two parallel circuits connected across the supply lin'e conductors I2-I3, with the starting-switch back-contact terminals 1 and 9 connected in the startingwinding circuit. At a certain intermediate speed of the motor, duringthe process of its acceleration, the centrifugal speed-responsive device 5 operates and opens the contact between the pair of back-contact terminals 1 and 9, thereby disconnecting the starting winding 2, and causing the motor to continue to operate on its permanent or running circuit-conditions whereby it is operating on only its main winding I. When the motor stops, either from overload, from a motorfailure, or from a power-failure, the centrifugal switch 5-6 returns to its starting position and reconnects the starting winding 2 across the supply-line conductors I2 and I3.

In accordance with my invention, the same starting-switch 56 which connects and disconnects the starting winding 2 of the motor, is utilized to provide a signal indication of the position of the switch, and hence of the speedcondition of the motor, that is, whether the motor is operating above or below a predetermined speed-range at which the centrifugal device 5 operates. In case the motor should stop for any reason whatever, the starting-switch 6 will return to its starting position, making contact with the pair of back-contact terminals I and 8 which are connected in the alarm-circuit, thereby energizing the bell 20, or other alarm, and giving the signal that the motor has stopped.

As an added or alternative form of protection, which can be supplied at trifling cost, I have included the front switch-contact 'II and the signal-light 23 which will show the operator when the motor is running. In case of a stoppage of the motor as a result oi either a motor-failure or a power-failure, or for any other cause, the signal-light 23 will be shut 01!, its circuit being opened at i l--6-| as a result of the centrifugal switch H being returned to its starting position, thereby giving a visual indication of this abnormal condition by the fact that the indicating light 23 is oil.

My alarm-signal system is simpler and less expensive than any similar system which has heretofore been in use, for motors of similar description, and it does not require additional equipment which would increase the overall length of the motor. By utilizing a single starting-switch arm with both an extra set of backcontact terminals, and a set or front-contact terminals, I am enabled to provide a more complete alarm-signal system than has heretofore been utilized, without requiring the addition of any more motor-equipment other than an extra back-contact i and a front-contact II on the starting switch.

I claim as my invention:

In combination, a self-starting single-phase induction motor having a main winding, an auxiliary winding, a single pair of single-phase supply-line conductors for energizing both of said windings in parallel-circuit relation across said conductors, an alarm-circuit, a signal-lamp ch cuit, and a centrifugal switch responsive to the motor-speed, said centrifugal switch having a single movable contact-arm, two back-contacts engaged by said contact-arm at low motorspeeds, a front-contact engaged by said c0ntactarm at higher motor-speeds, said contact-arm being connected to one of said supply-line conductors, said front-contact being connected to one terminal 01' the signal-lamp circuit, one of said back-contacts being connected to one terminal of the circuit containing said aux liary winding, and the other back-contact being connected to one terminal of the alarm-circuit.

WENDELL C. SPEAR. 

